<title>Software radio technology and applications to law enforcement</title>

Abstract

Abstract Software Radio Technology and Applications to Law Enforcement Joseph Mitola ifi The MITRE Corporation, McLean, VA 22102 (jmito1amitre.org) Law enforcement use of radio includes the rapid creation of networks for the dozens of law enforcement organizations whocome together in situations as diverse as the TWA 800 disaster in New York or the SunFest celebration in Palm Beach'. Thesoftware radio is a proven technology for rapidly building such interoperable networks, including seamless bridging acrosssub-networks ofdifferent frequency bands, channel modulations and information formats. In addition, law enforcement mustmanage the costs of related radio base station infrastructure, mobile units and handsets. The software radio is a collection ofengineering techniques for creating radio infrastructure that can be programmed for new standards and that can be dynaini-cally updated with new software personalities even over the air, reducing the need to purchase new hardware to remaincurrent with emerging radio interface standards. Although relatively expensive today, continuing DoD, federal and commer-cial investment in software radio technology will bring products within the reach of law enforcement applications within thenext few years. The Modular Multifunction Information Transfer Systems (MMITS) Forum provides further impetus for costreductions through the market efficiencies of open architecture. This article summarizes software radio technology and keytrends in the marketplace including the progress of the MMITS forum. Expanded law enforcement participation in this fo-rum would accelerate the availability of low cost products for law enforcement.Keywords: Software radio, multiband, multimode, digital signal processing, MM[TS forum, SPEAKeasy, digital radio